Kikyo's Scent and Sesshomaru's Success
by Kokoro Kawaii
Summary: The shard-hunters are off on their latest adventure to find a Shikon fragment, when Sesshomaru is discovered. He weilds a plan, which includes high hopes to weild the Tetsuiga itself. Will Inuyasha be able to keep safe his precious sword? And Kikyo just m


The Tetsuiga Stolen  
an Inuyasha fan fic... hell yea  
  
It was another regular day in the fuedal era of japan, 'regular' meaning yet another hunt for a jewel shard, fueled by the latest rumors drifting around the village. Casually letting her bike coast Kagome sped past Miroku and Sango, who were taking their sweet time at the back of the group, and then Inuyasha, who led the way with the Tetsuiga draped over his shoulder.  
"You know, Inuyasha, you can put that thing away. I don't sense any jewel shards near and-"  
A klank as the half demon dropped his weapon, its transformation occuring before it even hit the earth, and grabbed the back wheel of the bicycle. Kagome let out a half yelp as the font tire dangled over a ravine, previsously shadowed by the tall weeds and grass along the path. "Um... thanks." She peeped.  
"You have got to learn to be more careful. Why, if I weren't here, you would be a goner by now."  
"Shut up! Maybe if you would put that distracting sword away that glint wouldn't bother my view!"  
"Oh, so now its the Tetsuiga's fault, huh?" With a hmph he bent down to pick up his weapon and slide it quickly to sheath, after, of course, making sure Kagome was safely back on level ground.  
"I'm not saying its anyones fault."  
"Well it had to be somebodys, and it sure as hell wasn't mine."  
"Wasn't yours? Well, it wasn't mine!"  
"Stop it, the both of you." The young monk intervined, laying both sides tensions to a temporary rest. "The village is just down this path, at the end of the ravine. Perhaps you should let Inuyasha carry your bike, Kagome. We don't want another incident like that happening." And as cooly and casually as he had stopped he started again, leading the group.  
With another hmph Inuyasha reached for the bike seat, but before he knew it, Kagome had hold of the handlebars and turned her back, walking it down the path along her and Sango. His mouth twitched in annoyance, but he said nothing, following silently behind the rest of them. Shippo bounced up and down in the basket, his tounge out at the half demon who trailed.  
He spit at the ground, drawing the Tetsuiga once more and flinging it over his shoulder, partly to annoy Kagome and partly because of the power he felt when weilding it. It was not long before he stopped again, however, picking up a scent he recognized, deep in the ravine. It was Kagome's, but with a sort of strange tang... like that of no soul. It was, it had to be-  
"A jewel shard!" The reincarnated priestess shouted, flinging her hand to point in the direction of the ravine. "I can sense it, theres one down there." With not a moments hesitation she was on the seat of her bike, speeding down into the ravine, like a maniac with no mind. Inuyasha was running along right beside her, his features determined and confident, yet he kept an uneasiness inside him. It would be better not to tell Kagome about Kikyo's presence, he concluded, and raced passed the girl on the bike.  
A wind from the east blew past, and the dog-eared boy could tell for sure Kikyo's position, but Kagome was speeding straight down the slope, heading for what looked like a large cave in the side of the opsite wall. There, he thought, must be the jewel shard. He would take it and then be off to see Kikyo.  
The girl came to a skidding stop just outside of the enormous hole, which must have been an astonishing four kilometers in height at most, if her judgement wasn't off. Her chestnut eyes squinted into the darkness, trying to detect the shine of a Shikon no tama shard. "Its in there, somewhere. But it must be pretty far back if I can't see it from here... "  
Inuyasha swung the sword across his chest, the violent wind around it causing a gash in the rock. "Leave it to me, Kagome. I'll find that shard no problem." With a step foreward his eyes narrowed in sudden realization. "It's, no... it's... "  
"There it is, Inuyasha. I see it!" The school girl squeeled excitedly, one hand blocking out the sun, the other pointing. "It's coming closer, slowly. But I still can't see the person-"  
"Sesshomaru." He muttered, a low growl emitting within the pronunciation.  
"Very well Inuyasha," began Miroku, out of breath from his endless run down the ravine wall. "Shall I use my speacialty?" Answering his question was the ever-annoying buzz of the insects that usually accompanied Sesshomaru and Naraku wherever they were. "That question appears to be answered... "  
Sango removed her weapon of choice from her back, the large boomerang, and flung it into the dapths of the cave, not so much hoping to destroy the demon but the demonic insects. As the wings were cut and Sesshomaru himself appeared the demon slayer caught here monolith trade marked possesion.  
The demon stood at the caves entrance, his red eyes ever glowing their same solemn expression as always. They narrowed the slightest bit in sight of the archer girl, whom had foiled his plans of weilding the Tetsuiga in his last attempt. "What brings you to my hiding place, little brother?"  
Kagome gasped as she saw the clear outline of a suitably sized fragment hidden beneath his left kimono sleeve. "Inuyasha, he's planning on- "  
"Silence, woman!" With this he threw himself into the air, right hand flexing his claws as he planned on his speacialty venomous attack.  
"Enough!" The demons brother stepped foreward, barely in time to ward off the attack with his sword. "Leave her out of this, Sesshomaru! You're mine!" A trademark battle statement made, as Inuyasha felt he always must do, he followed Sesshomaru blindly into the cave where he had landed.  
"Are you alright Kagome?" Asked Shippo as he poofed himself bigger and helped her up.  
"Yes, I'm fi- fi- fine." She stuttered, hoping it wouldn't catch his ears. "Just a bit dusty, thats all." She smiled cheerfully, taking the time to pat her skirt off. What was the feeling that just suddenly hit her? Another jewel shard, maybe, off in the distance, somewhere to the east. "Well, why don't we go cheer Inuyasha on? I'm sure he'd be happy to know we were there watching him kick some Sess-butt."  
"That doesn't sound much like you, Kagome." Sango remarked. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe that close call earlier has you jumpy."  
"No, really guys, I'm alright." A nervous, non-Kagome laugh escaped her lips, and immeadiatly everyone knew something was up. She sighed, knowing too. "Listen, I'm sensing something near, and I'm not sure what it is. I think its a shard, but I can't tell for sure. Don't tell Inuyasha I'm sneaking off alone, okay?"  
"Are you sure thats wise? What if its a demon posessing the shard you sense?" Inquired the monk.  
"No, no demon." She shook her head, serious in thought. "It's just a shard, I'm sure."  
"Well then let me come with you!" The small kitsune exclaimed, patting a paw on his chest. "I'll protect you, Kagome."  
She smiled at his offer, and knew that Shippo wouldn't be as much of a burden as anyone else, but still felt she should venture alone. The feeling was just calling her name, literally, calling to her. It was no voice the school girl recognized, at least none she thought she did, but it sounded warped and twisted for sure. "Please, I won't be long, just a few minutes, and if I don't find anything, I'll be sure to come back."  
Without a given chance for anyone else to voice their opinion she was off down the ravine, not bothering with a wave or side glance, just some determined eyes and determined soul. Meanwhile, within the cave...  
  
"Sesshomaru, you bastard! Only a coward hides in the dark!" He stopped, movement as well as shouting, and used the glint off his transformed sword to try and see deeper into the cave. The light of the entrance was barely there, they were so far back.  
He grimaced. What was his brother doing? Sesshomaru was no coward, most definantly. In fact, there were countless times when the demon had nearly killed Inuyasha, if it weren't for Kagome or one of his many other numerous miracles. The whole thing was a trap and he knew it, yet deeper and deeper the half human followed the taunt of the Shikon's power.  
"I'm surprised, Inuyasha. I thought you were smarter than this. Perhaps its that human side of you thats all stupidity and nothing else."  
The dog eared boy let out a nearly inaudible growl. "Don't you start messing with me now, you ungrateful demon."  
"You're the half breed, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru stepped foreward, allowing his brother to see his outline. "And you won't be able to stand against me without the full power of your Tetsuiga."  
With a smirk and a raise of his weapon the half demon spit on the ground. "What are you talking about? I've mastered the secret of the wind scar. I can slay a thousand demons, and easily enough slay you too!"  
  
Kagome was nearly out of breath. She had been running for what seemed like miles, and the sides of the ravine had grown shorter and shorter the more she travelled, but still no sign of a shard. The voice kept ringing throughout her head, never ceasing for long.  
"Kagome... Kagome." It called.  
And she was about to give up, had not a figure standing at the top of one slope caught her eye. Two, in fact, two small shadows. As one of them noticed her it tapped the other one on the shoulder, and in turn the second one jumped and began its decent down the hill. The school girl squinted and found that it was holding a staff, and suddenly realized who it was.  
"Lord Sesshomaru will be so proud of me, defeating the reincarnation of Kikyo!" He muttered happily, tripping over something mid way down and tumbling the rest of the way. When he reached the bottom, staff rolling away, Jenkin regained his senses.  
"You... you... " She thought for a second. What exactly was he? "You... frog thing, you! You're not laying a hand on me!" After so many times of practice she skillfully pulled an arrow from her quiver and drew back her bow. "I'm finishing you off!"  
"Thats what you- Ah, owwww!" He cried, his hand atop the staff being crushed as Kagome pressured her foot more. Her aim was now straight down. "I'm sure your master will be visiting you soon enough, Jenkin!"  
"No, stop, don't hurt him!" The sudden child's plea threw Kagome's aim off, and the arrow struck the dirt next to the servant's head, barely knicking the ear to cause a little cut.  
"And who-"  
"Please don't hurt mister Jenkin!"  
"Who goes?" She called back, drawing another arrow in her bow. Squinting against the light she could make out an orange kimono, and long, dirty black hair. It was the child that accompanied Sesshomaru everywhere he went, just like Jenkin, only less annoying. It was the girl rumored to have been saved by the Tenseiga, and demon lord himself.  
  
Inuyasha raised his sword, momentarily letting his eyes fall shut. He only needed a second to find the wind scar, and when he did, there was no way his brother could dodge. Here goes nothing, he thought. "Wind Scar!" He shouted, his eyes darting open. The familiar patterns of the wind were no where to be seen. The half breed took a stunned step back, expecting he was just not looking in the right place. But no, everywhere was still air and darkness.  
"You're a fool, Inuyasha. A fool." Sesshomaru stepped foreward, no sign of fear in his aggression. "Have you not realized by now we're deep within a cave?" He shouted, nearly angry, and lunged at his brother with his venomous claws.  
"No crap, Sherlock!" He nearly lost balance and fell backwards, trying to parry the swiftness of the attack. "But what does that have to do with the Tetsuiga?!"  
Sesshomaru leapt to the other side, his back facing the entrance, and moved in for another swift attack. "Deep within the earth, the wind does not blow. You are a fool!"  
A startled yelp as the realization paralyzed the dog-eared boy, leaving time enough for his body to be struck down and the Tetsuiga to fall, masterless, through the air, transformed back into an old rusty sword. His eyes barely able to open, Inuyasha saw as his brother, who's left arm was supposed to be missing from a previous battle, reach out and pull his newly-acquired weapon from the air.  
It was, indeed, as Kagome had suspected. There was a jewel shard attached at the joint of Sesshomaru's demon body and the human arm he had to use to weild the Tetsuiga. He could feel the poison taking effect, and his vision blurred. Words were the last thing before he blacked out.  
"The pioson should surely kill you, little brother. And if not that... " He smirked slightly, looking over his own reflection in the sword he knew was meant to belong to him. "I will strike you down myself, with your own weapon."  
  
"So your names Rin, and Sesshomaru saved you?"  
The young girl nodded, leading Kagome atop the ravine through a few trees of increasing density, until they were nearly in a forest. Apparently it wasn't a necessity for the child to speak when she didn't have to, the school girl thought. But where was she being taken? The calling was getting stronger, till all of the sudden she heard it aloud, and knew the voice instantly.  
"Kagome."  
The teenager stood frozen, not sure what to think. There was fear, anger, sympathy, all running through her veins at the same time. Kikyo, the fallen priestess, sitting before her in a grassy circle, though Rin didn't at all seem to mind.  
"Kikyo!" She called happily, running to the older woman and embracing her, giggling. "I brought her, just like you asked me, Kikyo."  
"Very good Rin." The deceased priestess stroked the dirty hair of the child, all the while never taking her cold stare from her reincarnation. "Now, could you do somthing else for me?" The young girl nodded, backing away to see Kikyo's face. "Go and find your master, and bring him back to me." With the simple command the girl turned and ran, innocence and pure happiness to be of help never leaving her face for a second.  
The priestess slowly stood up, like a wearily old woman, and steadied herself. "Kagome... "  
"Y-yes?" Kagome stuttered, taking a hesitant step foreward. The last meeting between herself and the former bearer of her soul was not at all pleasant, and the memory ran throughout the school girls mind.  
"Inuyasha... he... " She closed her eyes, trying not to show her emtions to the petty young girl of whom she shouldn't even know, and shouldn't even exist. "He has changed. His heart is soft. Tell me, when you reclaim the Shikon Jewel, what does he wish to do with it?"  
She knew too well what Inuyasha wanted to do with the jewel, too well. And her answer was just what Kikyo wanted to hear. "He talks about becoming a full-fledged demon-" She let out a small chuckle, one that wasn't really of laughter at all, just the pure irony of it. "Just like he told you fifty years ago. But I know... he wants to bring you back. He'll wish for you in his arms."  
"But Inuyasha can have me in his arms as I am now. Why would he wish for such a thing?"  
It's because when he sees me he longs for Kikyo... he longs for the past to reset itself. Kagome could barely contain herself, her eyes were welling up with tears. "It's... I... He's... " She burst into a fit of sobs, rushing foreward to embrace the only person there, hoping to recieve the reassurance her mother back in the modern time would give her.  
The force of the hug nearly knocked Kikyo down, but she restedied herself and threw the school girl to the ground. "I'm not looking to comfort you, Kagome, I'm looking for answers." She remarked coldy, staring the quivering teenager fiercely in the eyes. "Now finish your sentence." How she rejoiced to be gone of living emotion again. Never would she have to feel pain, feel sadness, feel grief. Never again would she cry. And yet, to love again...  
She sniffled back another sob and wiped the tears away, rising to her feet, though her eyes were still on the brink of weeping, and got up the strength to speak. "He was in love with you, Kikyo, and he still is. No matter how close I get to his heart, it is always closed. Can't you see he loves you? The only thing he wants, more than anything, is to have you love him."  
Kikyo smiled shortly, feeling a sense of accomplishment within the answer. Yes, during her life, she had made Inuyasha fall in love with her, and her grip still held tight to his heart. With this she would get her revenge, and together they would rot in death.  
"There is only one obstacle, for Inuyasha to love me, and for I to love him in return." She lifted her hand, guiding one of her demons to place a soul in her hand to be absorbed. With a fresh renewal of life she looked back at her reincarnation cooly. "That obstacle is you, Kagome." Her topaz eyes narrowed, a fire of undescribable rage burning within.  
"Listen Kikyo, I can't-"  
"What do you mean, you can't? You can't have him? But you're a living essence, and I... I am a dead body, condemned to wandering the earth, in need of souls to survive. It is I that can not have him, Kagome, and it is you that can."  
A moment of silence as both women thought about what was less of a conversation and more of an arguement, everything that had been said. Kagome was just about to speak up when she heard footsteps trotting toward them, and turned to see. It was Rin, the small child saved by Sesshomaru, and a dark shadow behind her, surely Sesshomaru himself.  
"Kikyo, Kikyo! He's here, he's here!" She called gleefully, latching onto the priestess's leg. Kikyo smiled, her fake smile when she was around children, and patted Rin's head.  
"Thank you, Rin." She whispered, as the second pair of footsteps came to a halt. Kagome didn't need to turn around to know who stood behind her. Kikyo glanced up, wearing the solemn expression she had when meeting her reincarnation. "It was a success, then?"  
"I express my gratitude to you, ... " He paused, realizing he did not know the name to the donater of the Shikon jewel fragment. "What is your name, priestess?"  
"Kikyo." The school girl muttered, everything but depression mustered out of her. "Kikyo, the fallen priestess, former bearer of the Shikon no Tama."  
The dead womans eyes scowld at Kagome as the demon took a glance to her, then Kikyo herself. "The same priestess that Inuyasha became fond of?" Another scowlding glance to her reincarnation before she turned to leave the circle, the spirit-carrying demons needing no motion to follow their master. Sesshomaru sheathed the Tetsuiga and turned to Kagome. "You are Inuyasha's lover, are you not?"  
With the word 'lover' she broke out of her trance, cheeks flushing with embaressment, and glanced to the demon angerly, before remembering he was, in fact, a demon. "What are you talking about? Don't make me laugh! I don't love Inuyasha! WHO could? He's just some inconsiderate, self- centered, arrogant jerk! Ha! Who could love him? Not me!" A small, regretful 'oh' followed, remembering how close she had come to being struck down by Inuyasha's half brother.  
Instead of anger, he flashed a short smile of amusement. "You amuse me, woman." He began, turning his back on Kagome, Rin running to his side and blabbering on about something. "I will wait to kill you. I'm sure it would bring me greater pleasure to see Inuyasha's face when your blood is finally spilled before his eyes."  
The school girl took in a deep breath. This day was not turning out well, and she was lucky to be alive. Why, would Grandpa love to hear her story when she got back. Then again maybe not... Grandpa had a fragile heart. Perhaps Sota. But on to more important matters, like were Inuyasha and the others alright. Sesshomaru had mentioned something that meant the half-demon must still be alive, and his words still ran chills up her spine. Wearily she retraced her steps out of the forest, and came to the spot overlooking the ravine. Much to her surprise and good luck, she had emerged just in time to see the party moving slowly along the bottom.  
"Inuyasha! Shippo! Sango! Miroku! Up here!!"  
All of the figures stopped, shouting "Kagome!" in relieved unison. The school girl jumped on the slope, skidding all the way down. She was glad to see everyone was fine.  
"Oh, you're all alright! Inuyasha, you're alright!" She shrieked, embracing his chest. Wincing a bit in pain from his previous wounds, he set the bicycle down beside them and hesitantly put his arms around her in return, not sure what had gotten into her spirit. "I was so worried. Sesshomaru had the Tetsuiga and I thought-" Her muffled voice was cut off.  
"Yeah, I know, and we have to get it back." They released each other and Kagome realized what had just happened. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.  
"Inuyasha, I... uh... what I mean to say is... " Her words were being mixed around in her throat, the butterflys from her stomach making her unable to speak. The run in with Kikyo had knocked some sense into the school girl. "Inuyasha, I-"  
"Well, spit it out already!"  
Mortified, Kagome realized the entire focus of the group was centered on them. And much to her surprise Inuyasha had the most tender look she had ever seen on a man. Yet everyone was standing close, making sure to be in earshot, and the embarrasment won the fight of her emotions.  
"I- I can't beleive you had me so worried!" She shoved him back, cheeks still flushed a shade of scarlet, and stormed off, Shippo bouncing behind. "That stupid, arrogant, self centered-"  
Miroku sighed, following close behind. "And here I thought we'd get a glimpse of action between those two. Ah, well, tomorrow's another day." A quick slap across the head before he was fully out of range and Sango turned back to face the dog-eared boy, who still stood silent, stunned.  
"Don't worry, Inuyasha. She was just nervous, thats all." Sango smiled warmly, giving him reassurance and a pat on the shoulder. "One of these days she will let you know she loves you."  
With a 'hmph' Inuyasha turned his head and spit at the ground. "Love? I don't care about love. When I get the Shikon no Tama, I'm gonna become a full-ledged demon."  
The demon slayer just chuckled, grabbed him by the arm, and drug him in the direction of the rest of the group, all of whom were nearly around the next curve of the ravine. "You are so stubborn, Inuyasha." 


End file.
